Judgement and forgiveness

“Unless we have first judged and condemned them for what they did, there would be no reason for us to forgive them.” (ODAT, 29 April)

Forgiveness, thus, is really the unwinding of the position.

I withdraw the condemnation.

This can be done by excusing the excusable.

At the same time, I recognise my own responsibility for my external and internal life.

That is how I detach: the situation is literally nothing to do with me.

For the inexcusable, I am called upon to understand the person’s powerlessness.

I thus choose between powerlessness and guilt.

If they’re powerless, they’re not guilty.